To Love with Melody
by mrs.salvatore39
Summary: written for Be My Valetine exchange. Elena finds out something suprising about Damon, but will his gentle side be enough to make her realize which brother she is supposed to be with? LEMON


_a/n: this is written for the Be My Valentine Holiday exchange on livejournal for my friend HeartBreakMystique. Couldn't pass up this wonderful prompt _

Damon held his arms behind his back and twirled the stem of the black rose between his fingers as he waited patiently for Elena to open the door. He could hear her coming down the stairs, could hear her heart pounding from inside the house. The sound rang in his ears like a perfect song, a wonderful song he would never tire of hearing. He heard her shudder of a breath as she prepared herself to see him, obviously aware of who was on the other side of the door. He desperately wished that he could read her mind, that he could see into her thoughts.

It helped that he could manipulate her dreams a little, that he could break into her subconscious, but right now…in this moment all he wanted was to gauge how she was feeling and how she was possibly going to react to what he was going to say next. Finally, he heard the turn of the knob, and then the door was open and she was standing on the other side looking up at him. His eyes raked the length of her body quickly, taking in the sight of her long legs from under the creame colored silk robe she'd thrown on before coming downstairs.

Her hair hung down her back wet and from the scent now hitting his nose it was obvious she'd just gotten out of the shower. He ached to know if she was naked beneath the robe, and it took a great deal of self control to make his eyes meet hers. She seemed almost amused by his obvious struggle, but whatever small smirk she'd allowed her lips to form quickly disappeared once he'd cleared his throat. She glanced down at the rose and then back up at him, the air already thickening between them with nervous anticipation.

"Good evening." He finally managed, wondering if he sounded charming or like a complete idiot.

"Hi." She answered back, smiling slightly at him. Charming it was.

Relieved, but still unsure he began toying with the rose again. "May I come in?"

"Please." She nodded, stepping back to give him enough room to enter.

His arm brushed against her breasts lightly as he stepped through and he wondered if she'd done that on purpose. "This is for you." He said quietly, holding out the rose once she'd closed the door and faced him.

He saw the flicker of curiosity in her eyes as she took in the sight of black petals. Perhaps red would have been better. "Thank you." She took it, not sure if she should smell it or not. "You came all the way over here to give me a rose?"

"No." he shook his hands, his palms slightly sweaty and now restless from the lack of anything to do. At least when he had the rose he had something to fidget with, now he was alone.

Desperation had him dipping his hands into his pockets, the constant inner monologue of his mind cursing him for feeling so foolish. He was Damon fucking Salvatore, there was no woman that should make him this nervous. Elena of course he knew, was the only one that could. Taking a deep breath he fought for the courage to speak, for the right words; and he prayed that none of the current ramblings his mind was currently processing would fall from his lips.

_God, she looks almost edible like that. _He thought, watching a drop of water fall down the side of her neck and disappear behind the lapel of her robe.

He resisted the urge to lick his lips, his eyes shooting back to hers when she spoke. "What is it Damon?"

He cleared his throat and nodded, stepping forward slightly to gain some authority, but hoping not to overpower her in cowering. "Tomorrow is Valentines Day."

The slight smile she'd been holding on the corners of her mouth disappeared immediately and a cold wave of worry washed over him. _Keep it up Salvatore, you came all the way over her. At least fucking ask her before you run away like a coward._

"I know." she said simply, her tone wary.

A thousand options of what he could say ran through his mind before he finally settled on the possibly worst choice of them all. "Wanna spend it with me?"

He'd wanted to sound mature and masculine, but he ended up sounding like a hopefully little boy. She chewed her bottom lip, looking at him as if she were dissecting a frog before finally speaking. "I don't know Damon. I'm not feeling very…Valentines-ey all things considered. Bonnie thought that we could spend the day taking care of Caroline. I guess she and Tyler aren't doing that great."

Damon's heart fell, a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach before he remembered that Bonnie was going away for the week to spend some time with her mother and Caroline had gone with Liz to return her father's body to Chicago where his 'life partner' was waiting. She had lied to him, and almost nearly gotten away with it. "I see that I've been training you quite well." He said, accidently letting a little acid slip into his tone.

"What do you mean?" she said, stepping back as the atmosphere changed from simple sexual frustration to angry confrontation.

"The girls aren't even in town this week. Just because I'm a man doesn't mean I don't listen when you all talk."

"Oh." She said, looking down at her hands- at the rose he'd given her.

_Oh! _His brain yelled angrily, stomping it's metaphorical feet in his head. _All she can say is oh! There has to be something else going on, something she isn't telling me…but why would she hide it. We haven't been hiding anything from each other in a long time. Unless…_

And then sick realization dawned on him and he felt the intense need to break something. If he'd still been holding the rose he was sure it would have been squashed and torn by now. "It's Stefan isn't it? You're spending the day with Stefan?"

"No." she shook her head, her eyes promising him that wasn't true. "I swear that I'm not."

"Then what is it?" he asked exasperated. "And don't give me any of that 'it's not the right time' crap, cuz I've heard it all now."

She shrunk away a little more at the sharpness of his tone and he instantly felt guilty for scaring her. "I'm just not…ready."

It was the lamest excuse in the book, and they both knew it. This only infuriated him more and he almost literally stomped his feet. "Bullshit."

"Damon." She gasped slightly, reaching out for his arm; not at all surprised when he pulled back. "Please, try to understand."

"Oh, I understand alright. I've been understanding since the night you kissed me on my deathbed. I've been slow and careful with you, I've been gentle and mindful of your feelings. Enough is enough Elena, Stefan may love you, but he apparently doesn't want to fight for you. If he did, he would be standing in this room right now asking you to spend tomorrow with him."

"It's not that simple." She protested, the need to comfort him becoming stronger.

"It is!" he shouted back, stepping toward the door. "You're scared to admit that you love me and I can't be understanding anymore. It just…it hurts to fucking much!"

With that he pulled open the door, slamming it behind him.

They both stood still for a moment, her glassy; tear filled eyes staring at the empty wall where he'd been- him glaring at the spot on the porch where he'd kissed her a few weeks ago. He had it in his mind to go home and drink himself into a stupor, but he simply cursed, shook his head and marched to the Camaro. There wasn't alcohol in the world strong enough to erase from his mind what had just happened. So he was destined to be alone, fine- he could work with that. He would be the best at being alone, because after all; there was nothing Damon Salvatore wasn't the best at.

Elena had moved upstairs an hour ago, but she still had the same blank expression on her face as she had the moment the door had slammed. Alaric walked past the bedroom, stopping to look in on her. "Are you alright?"

She nodded numbly, forcing herself to meet his eyes. "Yes."

"I heard you two shouting." He admitting, coming into the room tentatively.

She moved aside slightly so he could sit next to her on the bed. For a minute he just held her, letting her cry into his shoulder. "He's right." She said finally, pulling back to wipe her nose on her sleeve.

"About which part?" he asked, running his thumb under her eye to dry her tear.

Sniffling, Elena stood and began to pace. "About loving him, I do."

"I know." Alaric nodded, trying not to smile. "The guy's a dick, but his feelings for you are pure Elena. You must know that."

"I trust him." She whispered, looking back at her guardian with confused eyes. "How can I feel this way for him and find it impossible to give him the chance, to give us a chance?"

Alaric sighed and ran his hands through his hair. He'd never really planned on having an eighteen year old daughter, but she'd been dropped in his lap and his lack of parenting books had left him at somewhat of a loss. All he could go off of was his knowledge of her and Damon, and the fact he was certain she would be safe with Damon. "Stefan isn't a full Ripper any longer Elena, but he hasn't entirely come running back to your arms either…" he spoke slowly, carefully weighing his words. "You can't waste your life waiting for him, and you can't expect Damon to wait around for another girl to choose him."

Elena sighed, knowing that he was right. "What do I do?"

"You have to go to him, and be honest with yourself. Believe that he loves you."

She nodded, grabbing her keys from the nightstand. "Thank you Ric."

He watched her go to the door and cleared his throat. "Maybe you should change first." He hinted, eyeing her robe.

Elena laughed and dashed to her closet. "Probably a good idea."

Twenty minutes later, Elena was standing outside the front door of the Boarding House, shivering in anticipation. The February wind was chilly, but not enough to stop her from wearing the white dress she'd worn for her birthday. She raised her hand to knock, but shook her head and simply walked in. He popped into her bedroom whenever he damn well wanted; maybe it was time to give him a little taste of his own medicine. Any pent up frustration or nervous energy sagged out of her as beautiful music hit her ears. It was soft and fluid, wild and passionate at the same time. It was something she'd never heard before, but it was beautiful and addicting. She found herself slipping off her jacket and shoes in the parlor, quietly sneaking down the hall where the sound was coming from.

She'd spent a lot of time in this house, but she'd hardly explored it past the few upstairs bedrooms she'd been invited into and the den. Even the kitchen she'd only caught a glimpse at once. At the end of the hall there was a tall door she'd never tried to open before. The door was the same as the rest in the house, but now the insane urge to see what was on the other side tore at her and she allowed her curiosity to get the better of her. Gently, she lay her hand on the knob and cracked the door open.

Damon sat at a piano with his back facing her, his long fingers working over the black and white keys. Music poured from the open top, bouncing off the wooden floor and crisp white walls. There was a large bay window in front of him, but the sky was black and the only light came from a few flickering candles set around the room. Her heart thudded dangerously against her chest and she wondered if he could hear it. If he did he gave no signs of noticing her, which seemed odd considering normally he could sense her before she even got into the house.

The notes of the unknown song settled over her like a lovers hand, tempting her and taunting her forward. She was suddenly very glad that she'd removed her shoes as she silently stepped closer to him, her bare feet making no noise against the polished planks. It was as if she were locked in a trance, the very scent and sound of him calling her forward. Then all at once, everything stopped; including her heart for a moment. He visibly stiffened, his back stock straight as he noticed her smell in the air, finally recognized her heart beat for what it was.

Elena froze, waiting for him to do something, to say something…but there was nothing. No movement and no more sound. "Hello." She whispered, waiting patiently for a reply.

Damon waited a few beats, fisted his hands over the keys before forcing his fingers to relax, and then he began to play again. Was it possible that she was here to wedge another knife into his already bleeding heart? Could she actually be that cruel that she would think her presence here would comfort him? This room, the room his 'Uncle' Zack had used as an escape had quickly become Damon's escape. Over a hundred years, he'd adapted many talents over various fields and one of them was music. His space and his music were private and thanks to recent events she was not welcome to be part of either. "What are you doing here?"

Since Elena didn't really know the answer she ignored it and stepped forward, taking the sign of speech as a welcome. "That's beautiful." She offered, stopping once she'd reached the bench he was sitting at.

"Thanks." His answer was gruff, and he knew he was being an ass but she hardly deserved his charm and grace at the moment. If she wanted a soft gentle Damon, she was out of luck. That guy was still standing on her porch with a rose and a hope that another metaphorical door wouldn't be slammed in his face.

"What is it?" she pressed, sitting next to him even though she had no invitation.

"Something." He answered; he would not tell her that he composed it.

He would not tell her that he wrote it for her. He would not tell her that the reason he hadn't heard her heart was because the song was based off those very beats and he'd been imagining them as he'd been playing. He would not tell her the title of the song, and he certainly would not tell her how badly his heart was breaking by the fact that he'd poured every ounce of himself, of his love into the melody and she'd basically tossed it back in his face just a few hours ago. Of course she had no idea he'd intended to play it for her tomorrow night after dinner, but facts were facts and if she hadn't wanted to hear it in the first place, she had no right to hear it now.

However, his fingers would simply not stop playing, especially not now that her heart was working as a metronome and keeping him on perfect time. "You're angry with me." She said gently, her hand hovering in air for a moment as if she'd meant to touch him, but it dropped back to her own leg and stayed there.

"Hardly." He shook his head and focused on the black surface of the piano. He couldn't look at her…he just couldn't.

If he looked, he would break- and he couldn't afford to break anymore. "You should tell that to your tone then." She said smartly, looking at him sideways.

Damon's nerves bristled and he seriously considered getting up and walking away. He was tired of running though, and besides; this was his house. If anyone was going to run away, it was going to be her. "Elena, why are you here?"

She took a shuddering breath and set her wrists against the edge of the keyboard. "I didn't know you played."

That was the second time she'd changed the subject, and again he let it slide. "There is a lot you don't know about me."

She nodded, letting her fingertips run over D, E and F ivory keys. "I wanted to learn once, but then Caroline tricked me into joining the squad. I was well on my way to becoming head cheerleader, did you know that?"

"Yes." He answered flatly, using all his self control to keep to his side of the bench.

As if sensing he was uncomfortable she shifted closer. "Teach me something?" she tilted her head to the side slightly, smiling sweetly.

What the hell was she trying to do? Kill him with mixed signals? "No."

Elena felt the twinge of pain inside at his rejection, but she knew that she deserved it. "Why?"

"Go away Elena." He said through clenched teeth. The smell of her perfume was getting to him and he felt his anger slipping away. In defense he threw up shields and channeled his inner frustration into fury. "I don't want you here."

That hurt, but she bit back the tears and straightened her shoulders. "That's not true."

"It is." He promised, finally allowing himself to look at her when he was sure there was enough venom darkening his blue eyes. "You win Elena, I've given up."

Panic flooded her senses and she gripped his hand, halting the song on middle C. "Don't say that."

"Get out!" he yelled, pushing the bench back and stalking away. His movement caused one of the candles to extinguish, the smell of smoke ticking her nose.

The lid prop shook and fell, a loud bang resounding through the room and causing her to jump. The remaining candle lights flickered dangerously. "Damon, please…be reasonable."

He heard her stand, turning to glare at her in the dim light. "I've been reasonable Elena. I've been patient. Well I'm done; I'm out of reason, out of patience, out of time. I won't spend another hundred and fifty years waiting for you to come to your senses. Is that what you were expecting?"

She froze, considering. He was right, and that made her feel slightly sick. When she envisioned her future before tonight she saw Damon, but he was always on the sidelines. That simple thought pained her, made her realize all the more just how foolish she had been since he'd come into her life. From the first moment he'd kissed her hand in this house, she'd been destined to belong to him. Stefan had only distracted her from the fact. She could see that now, understood that. "Not anymore." She admitted, facing him.

"I won't play this game with you any longer." He swore, stepping closer to tower of her. Rage turned his eyes almost black, both thrilling and terrifying her. "Either leave now or suffer the consequences."

"I'm not leaving." She promised, flattening her hands on either sad of his face. "I'm right here Damon, I'm not going anywhere."

A sound between a growl and a moan slipped from his mouth before his lips were on hers. She'd expected him to be rough, to take out the fury and frustration on her- but he shocked her by being gentle. His lips were soft like she remembered his scent intoxicating and his touch sending shivers down her spine. "Don't make promises you can't keep Elena." He warned, his hands finding her hips, his forehead resting against hers as he let her catch her breath.

"I'm not." She let her fingers thread through his hair, bringing him back down to kiss her. "Trust me, this is what I want."

His lips twisted into a smirk as he pulled her flush against him. "What is it you want exactly?"

She smiled as he slipped a arm under her and lifted her so she was sitting on top of the lid. Her feet settled against the keys, vaguely melodic sounds coming from the piano as she hit F, G and B. "I want you to make love to me right here and now."

Her voice was low, quiet and slightly embarrassed as she flushed. Her blush heated her skin almost dangerously and she tried to hide. With a shake of his head, Damon lifted her chin so their eyes were connected. "Don't hide from me Elena, not now."

She nodded, denying his lips so she could kiss the side of his neck, pleased to find that turned him on. His hands fisted in the white skirt of her dress, then slid under the fabric to knead at the sensitive skin of her thighs as her teeth nipped at his ear lobe. "More." She whispered, her breath coming out in a hiss as his fingers inched higher.

He was playing her like he had the keyboard, and he knew it. He smirked as they kissed, the angle of his lips making her fight for his attention to focus back on her. Just as he neared the edge of her panties, he slid his hands up over her hips and pulled her to the edge of the lid so they were closer. As she shifted, she hit a few more keys, the vibrations teasing her for a moment; but a moment long enough to drive her crazy. "So impatient." He teased, bending slightly to kiss up the length of her throat before meeting her lips again.

"This would be impatient." She smiled, reaching behind her back to undo the zipper of her dress.

He watched mesmerized as the fabric fell away from her chest and shoulders, pooling at her waist. His eyes feasted over the newly exposed flesh, tracing the lines of her bra where the cup covered her breast. Now that she'd begun the undressing he ached to remove the rest of her clothing. "I think I like you this way." He smiled and wrapped his head around the back of her head, bringing her forward to kiss her slowly.

Free fingers traced up her collarbone, over her shoulder and down her arm to her wrist. For a moment he allowed their fingers to tangle, pleased when she clenched his hand tightly at the sensation of his teeth scraping against her bottom lip. His fangs had yet to make an appearance, and he was planning on keeping it that way for as long as he could. When he brought her hand to the first button of his shirt, she surprised him by not hesitating. When they were undone and the shirt hung open at his sides she unashamedly raked her gaze over his chest and stomach. "I think I like you this way." She teased, her nails dragging over the muscles he'd sculpted there.

He smirked, impressed at her lack of shyness and slipped the dress over her head. She was left in white lace, her bare legs wrapped around him. Supporting her with one hand on her hip, he coaxed her to lean back; memorizing the lines of her body and the way the candle light warmed her skin to a delicious glow. With the other hand, he ran it down between her breasts with light fingertips, until he reached the hem of her panties. Hesitation had both of them freezing for a moment. If they crossed this line, there would be no going back.

Sitting up slightly, she slid his shirt from his shoulder and worked his belt from the loops. He seemed stuck in place, watching her and letting her take the lead for the moment. When his jeans had been unbuttoned and unzipped, he wrapped his hands around her wrists and shook his head. This time when their lips touched it was anything but gentle, anything but slow. They devoured each other, finished undressing each other until they were a tangle of sweaty limbs. Her bra hung over the edge of the lid where he'd thrown it, her panties dangling from her foot until she kicked them off.

As he stepped away from his jeans, she wrapped her legs tightly around him, her arms already locked around his neck. "I love you like this." He whispered, not so much meaning naked as appreciative of how she comfortable she was with him. This was it, it was finally the right time and it was right now. As their lips met again, he kept his eyes open for a moment longer than hers, watching her relax into his hold, under him as he leaned over and slid into her. She gasped, giggling slightly when one of his hands flattened against the keys, groaning as he did. She tightened around him instinctively, stretching slightly before clenching as he began to thrust.

She bit into his shoulder to keep quiet, but the moan slipped out and she found herself clawing at his chest as he moved faster. He gripped her tighter, both hands on her hips now as he guided her movements against him. The veins under his eyes appeared as he felt his human control threaten to snap. His lust for her turned to bloodlust as she trembled against him, the long lines of her neck tempting and calling to him. When she felt the first scrape of his fangs she gasped but didn't pull away.

"All you have to do is say no." he whispered, holding her tightly.

She nodded, pulling back a little to smile at him. "I want you, and I'll take it…whatever that means."

It meant more than he could express having someone accept him completely for what he was. The tip of his fangs continued to tease her, sending shivers to her spine as he scratched thin marks across her neck and shoulders. The burning sensation thrilled her, brought her closer to the edge as she anticipated her release, and anticipated his first bite. "Ready?" he asked gently, taking a unneeded deep breath as she nodded.

With one final thrust he joined them together again, body and soul. Elena felt the bond between them strengthen as he loved and drank her. She clung to him tightly, his name a murmur on his lips before the full strength of orgasm shook her and she fell apart against him. He followed soon after, the taste of her blood and the sensation of her giving herself over doing him in. A while later, Elena looked up from where she was resting her head against his chest, smiling as he pulled the sheet tighter around her. She wasn't entirely sure how he'd gotten them upstairs and to his bed, but she was glad.

"How long was I asleep?" she asked, her voice a little sleepy.

"A few hours." He pressed his lips to her forehead and held her closer, his eyes focused on his roof. Either she would continue to stay happy or she would freak out the second reality hit and she realized what had happened. Just the memory of making love to her downstairs made him smile and she pressed up a little to look at him, her own smile widening.

"I love you like this." She whispered, her finger tracing the shape of his bottom lip before kissing him gently. "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course." He shifted so he could see her face, wondering what it was she could possibly want to know she was afraid to come out and say.

"That song you were playing, was it for me?"

He hesitated, realizing it was ridiculous not to lay all the cards out on the table now. "Yes, I wrote it a while ago."

"Thank you." She pressed her lips to his chest, his shoulder, the side of his neck.

"I love you Elena." He said, his voice shaking slightly as if he was still afraid that she would deny him.

"I love you too Damon." She answered, crawling over him but keeping the sheet around them like a cocoon. The clock read five minutes after midnight. "Happy Valentines Day."

_a/n: parts of the love scene were inspired by Pretty Woman. It was a pretty intense scene for me once upon a time because they are wordless through pretty much all of it. If you haven't watched that movie, I would recommend it. Otherwise, I hope you enjoyed this._

_Any requests for V-day stories? Cut-off for Valentines fics is the 10__th__ so get them in as soon as possible _


End file.
